A New Contract
by NephilimEQ
Summary: *Set approximately three months after the last episode of Black Butler.* Ciel is now a demon and still master over Sebastian. Sebastian is tied for all eternity to him, Ciel's soul lost forever...or is it? An old power emerges, willing to trade favors with Sebastian: Ciel's soul, for a Grim Reaper. Will it really work, or will Sebastian lose Ciel's soul for good this time?
1. Chapter 1

**A New Contract**

Sebastian Michaelis followed behind his young lord, Ciel Phantomhive, and dutifully did his duties as they were requested. Even as Ciel spoke, the demon could hear the difference in the thirteen year-old's words; there was no true spirit behind them, just an emptiness, an unfathomable shadow that slipped along his tongue and released into the air in soft, dry syllables.

Dry as dust, but firm as stone, and Sebastian resigned himself to the fact that he would never have his Master's soul returned.

It had been lost. Alois had guaranteed it, and nothing would change it.

It was a unique situation…a demon bound to another demon for all eternity, a butler for all time, never again to truly be the fearsome master demon that he'd once been.

Every motion of Ciel's movements lacked something; yes, it was his body that moved, but the same as his words, the spirit was not there. Every motion was hollow and Sebastian could almost imagine that Ciel was nothing more than one of those macabre dolls that they'd once encountered.

He stopped walking when Ciel turned his head and tossed over his shoulder, "I'm going inside on my own as I have some private business to discuss and you are not necessary. Wait here."

"Yes, my lord."

Ciel left, and Sebastian stood in the steadily darkening street, ignoring the rain and wind that swept over his body, plastering his hair to his head. He would wait as ordered.

A pair of eyes flickered in an alleyway near to where the bound demon stood, but he wasn't sure as to who it was. It could be Grell spying on him as he usually did, but this was too stealthy, too silent…too still for the Grim Reaper.

He said nothing about the presence, waiting for the person…or creature…to make their presence known to him on their own. To follow a demon was to put your life in peril and this person, or being, must have had good reason to risk themselves in such a way.

He waited.

Several long minutes passed, the rain coming down heavier and in thicker sheets, almost as though it was trying to reach the demon's bones by melting through his skin…but unlike what many believed, water had no effect on demons.

And then he heard a voice.

"You're Sebastian."

It was feminine, but low, and it was obvious that she was not asking a question, merely stating fact, and he nodded.

There was a long pause, and then the eyes came forward and a figure became clear to his gaze. She wore a gray cloak that seemed to almost merge with the air and water around her, making her seem less human than she was; _if_ she was. Her eyes were plain hazel, nothing remarkable, her hair was brown and windswept, and from what he could see of her figure, she seemed average…but there was _some_thing about her that seemed unique, special.

Something that he couldn't pin his demonic finger on.

He merely stared at her, waiting for her to speak again, and she finally did.

"I need your help."

He remained silent and continued to hold her gaze, slowly noticing that her eyes weren't hazel, but that they were slowly turning gray, matching the air around them.

There was a long moment of silence and then she broke it by saying, "I need you to get someone for me. Someone that only _you_ have any influence over."

Knowing that the only person that he had _any_ influence over was his master, left him wondering as to what this woman or being wanted. It was obvious that she was not entirely human and that there was something serious going on, and that it was no trivial matter that had this female asking him questions. Or, more accurately, making obscure statements.

"And who might that person be?"

Her eyes narrowed.

"His name is Grell. I need his _particular_ skill set."

At that statement, Sebastian was unsure of how to respond, but he said nothing, thinking on the words that had just been said. So, someone wanted Grell and thought that he could help them. This meant they knew that he was more than simply one _hell_ of a butler, and knew Grell's true identity as well.

Sebastian was quiet a second longer than was necessary and then said, "And who are you, exactly?"

She averted her eyes and then brought them back.

"Rhea."

He raised an eyebrow and said, "So, Rhea…why do you think I would help you?"

She was unfazed by his question and stared him straight in the eye, unwavering in her resolve, just the opposite that she had been moments before, and as she did so he dimly became aware of the fact that her feet did not touch the ground.

A grim smile crossed the young woman's lips, but he did not notice as he started to turn away from her, showing his disinterest in their conversation, but then he froze when he heard her say…

"Because I can give you your master's soul."

* * *

**Part 1/?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Sebastian wasn't sure what to say, but his crimson eyes snapped back to the...being…that still hovered in the air, the same grim smile on her face.

Finally, he said, "No one can do that. Your promise is empty."

Rhea's grin turned from grim into mischievous in a single wry twist of her lips. Her eyes sparkled like smoke lit by stars, and Sebastian was reminded of Grell from the way that she seemed to ogle him and the way her smile seemed too wide to be natural.

"It's obvious to you that I'm not human, and I know that you know that I'm not a demon, so why not trust me?"

He gave an echo of her in return.

"Because I do not trust anyone. It is my nature."

She let out a low chuckle that was warm and reminded him of the tea that he poured his master every morning when he awoke. Hot, but simmering, and her gaze matched it as well, and he was surprised to find that he was slightly disconcerted by it all.

Rhea nodded.

"Fair enough, demon. Fair enough…" She paused and gave him a long look, her eyes clouding over slightly, turning a darker, stormier gray, the stars in them hidden. "…After all, I would hate to see a demon with its guard down."

She slowly drifted closer, her feet still not touching the ground, and, unable to keep from asking, he said, "What are you?"

Rhea shrugged.

"Not a ghost, not a demon, not an angel, nor a reaper…so, does that leave anything else, Sebastian Michaelis?"

8He wracked his mind, sorting through his thoughts, not sure of what she was implying…and then a snippet of an old story came to his memory and he looked at her in surprise, not quite believing what she was implying.

"…A Guardian?"

His words were hesitant, but sure once they left his lips and he saw her eyes widen in what seemed to be a look of being impressed and she nodded.

"Yes, indeed…right in one. Very good, demon. Most of you haven't even heard of my kind, which leaves me very curious as to how you've heard of us…"

She lifted an eyebrow in curiosity, and he was once again reminded of the red-headed grim reaper who was determined to make his life a certain level of hell every single time that they interacted. But, unlike Grell, there was an underlying seriousness about her, instead of pure comic idiocy.

His gaze was firm and his voice steady as he replied, "I believe the Guardians were mentioned by a previous Master of mine in the tenth century."

She nodded again, but he had to know how she claimed to be able to retrieve Ciel's soul, so he quickly spoke up again.

"How do you think you can retrieve my Master's soul?"

Another low chuckle escaped her lips, and she gave him a broad, toothy smile and then shook her head and lifted a finger, making a tut-tut sound as she waggled the digit in front of his face, _again_ reminding him of Grell.

"You obviously know nothing of Guardians, do you, my dear demon?"

She started to float around him, and he snapped out an unnaturally fast hand to grab her, but his fingers went straight through her body, grasping only rain drops, and she let out a broad laugh, her eyes dancing merrily at seeing his discomfiture.

"I am neither of the demon realm or the heavenly realm, but nor am I a grim reaper or a spirit…I, instead, live in the in-between of all of these dominions of the supernatural. I am smoke, I am nothingness. I am one of the Guardians of lost souls. I can touch and hold everything that demons, angels, spirits, and reapers cannot…I can bring back your beloved Ciel."

He gave her a skeptic look, his eyes dark and piercing.

"You say it so easily, as though it were nothing. How can you be so certain that you can get him back to me?"

Her slightly mocking smile turned serious, along with her gaze, and she moved towards him in the air.

"Because we have already spoken, and he has agreed to the deal. You give me Grell, I give you Ciel Phantomhive. It seems a fair enough trade to me, don't you agree?"

Sebastian said nothing, running the idea through his mind, trying to understand exactly what this Guardian wanted with a Grim Reaper. What particular skills did she require of Grell to help her? What was she trying to do?

He glanced towards the door that Ciel had disappeared through only minutes before, very much aware of the fact that he would be coming out soon. He had to come to a decision, and quickly.

He turned his scarlet eyes back on Rhea.

"You do understand that I need proof of the fact that you spoke with my Master's soul, don't you?"

She nodded.

"He expected that you would ask as much, so proof has been brought. He asked me to deliver a message to you, one that only _you_ would understand." She paused a moment, remembering the exact wording, and then said, ""I doubt that any woman has been killed by a corset alone.""

A hint of a smile crossed Sebastian's lips and he tilted his head.

"Yes. You _have_ spoken with him…"

When he'd put the corset on him, he'd done it in private and only the two of them would have heard Sebastian's words. His master had demanded of him that he speak of that incident to no one, and therefore he had followed the command.

He gave Rhea a long look and a faint smirk.

"A contract with a demon. Are you prepared for what that entails, Rhea, Guardian of Lost Souls?"

She smiled and gave him a short nod.

Sebastian gave her a long look, and finally asked her what was bothering him.

"What do you need with a Grim Reaper? And if you need one so badly, why Grell? Why not someone more…competent?"

Rhea's smile widened into yet another toothy grin and her eyes sparkled. "Because, _demon_, unlike other reapers he is more willing to…let's just say, bend the rules? And the reason why I need one…well, I want to know why you feel you need to know."

He gave her a grim look.

"In order to set the terms of our contract, I need to know what you intend to expect, so I can know the proper price to place on you should you not hold up your end of the bargain."

She smiled.

"Good. That's what I was hoping to hear." She floated around him, and finally answered his question. "Reapers can actually affect the Guardian's realm to some extent and Grell can give me the one thing that I desire most…my _freedom_. I want to be back in my body, _alive_. Not babysitting whining souls who complain for eternity. He can give me that. However," she added, trailing a finger close to his neck, "What makes you think you'll hold up your end of the bargain?"

Sebastian leveled his gaze, and then spoke, not answering the question that she'd just asked him.

"In that case, should you fail to return my Master's soul, your soul is forfeit and becomes mine. Deal?"

She nodded.

"Deal."

And then, surprising him, she firmly grasped his hand which was slick with rain and he saw his symbol appear on her neck, just in the hollow of her throat. He looked down in their clasped hands in confusion, knowing that only a few minutes before he had passed right through her.

Rhea smiled.

"I can choose what I want to touch and effect in this world. Since you are key to my survival, it must be allowed."

He gave her another grim nod and gripped her hand tightly and shook it, their deal sealed between them. And then, with his keen hearing, he heard his master leaving the third story of the building in front of him and descending the stairs.

"You must go now, for my Master is returning."

She nodded, but just as she turned to leave she repeated her question from before.

"Again, demon…what makes you think you won't fail to hold up your end of the bargain?"

A dark smirk crossed his lips.

"Well, you see, Guardian…I am simply one _hell_ of a butler…"

She smiled and disappeared into the air moments before Ciel walked back out onto the street. He looked at Sebastian and then, with not even another nod in his direction, he disappeared down the street, his butler following him in his wake.

* * *

**Part 2/?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Sebastian carefully prepared his Master's tea, which did not exist, ignoring the faint red glow he could see in his Master's eyes from time to time; a dark reminder of what his young lord truly was. And it also reminded him of his contract. His _second_ contract.

He wanted it done as soon as possible.

Looking for the opportune moment, he waited patiently as he placed an empty cup of tea in front of Ciel and said, "Darjeeling, my lord. I think it will complement the chicken curry that I have prepared for your supper later on this evening."

He, of course, had not actually prepared any dinner, just empty china plates and flawless silver.

Ciel took a sip and nodded.

"It's fine."

He seemed busy, his eyes still focused on the papers on his desk, his left hand sorting through them deftly as his right held the cup delicately in his hand. The motions, as well as the cup, were empty. Hollow. Devoid of any real substance.

"My lord…"

Ciel's eyes lifted to his butler's. "Yes, Sebastian?"

"I have some errands that I must take care of between now and supper. They should only take me a couple of hours, at most. However, they will require me to leave the premises of the mansion. I trust that this is not of any worry to you?"

The young lord waved a dismissive hand in his direction as he turned his eye back to the papers in front of him.

"Yes, yes…it's fine. Go."

Sebastian bowed.

"Thank you, my lord."

And with that, he began to walk out of the mansion, but stopped in the front hall, grasping the collars of three of the servants and said, "Protect him while I am gone. Should you fail, your lives are forfeit, is that understood?"

His tone was harsher than normal and his warnings more dire, but they did not question them and merely nodded in unison.

"Good."

He didn't look back, not caring about any feelings he might have hurt. After all, he was a _demon_, not a human being. And he did _not_ care one bit about what they thought of him…and yet, when he thought of his master, he found a part of himself stirring. What part of himself, he wasn't sure.

Brushing the feeling aside, he made his way to a deserted part of the countryside near the estate, a small clearing, wondering how exactly he could entice the red-headed Grim Reaper to show.

Finally, he came to one conclusion.

"Oh, well," he muttered to himself as he carefully unbuttoned his shirt and pulled off his glove with a tug of his teeth. "It can't be helped."

He was going to have to practically prostitute himself to convince the Reaper to show, but it was the end result that mattered, and what had to be done along the way was merely a part of plan in order to secure his Master's soul. It would be worth it in the end.

He tossed his waistcoat to the side, threw his head back and then braced his body in a dramatic pose, his chest bared to the still warm air of the fading afternoon, his black hair perfectly tossed into the air, each strand in a perfect artful arch.

And then he whispered…

"Grell…I'm waiting for you, my darling reaper…"

In a flash of brilliant white light, the being in question appeared before him, his chainsaw scythe by his side soon dropped when he saw the demon in front of him and replaced by a camera in his hands instead. There was then a second flash of light, this one instead coming from the camera, but before Grell could snap a second photo, firm fingers grasped the edges of it and crushed it flat and then tossing into the bushes at the edge of the clearing.

"Good; now that I have your attention…"

He then grabbed Grell by the throat with his left hand, still gloved, and was unmoved by the Reaper's protestations as he lifted him into the air. Grell's fingers tried in vain to claw at his arm, to make him let go, but Sebastian's hold was firm.

"Just so you know, Grell, I am not in the least bit sorry about this." He turned his head to the side, calling to his contractor, knowing that she could hear him. "Rhea! I have kept my side of the contract. The Reaper is yours."

There was a faint smudge of color in the air at the opening to the clearing and she appeared.

"You kept your word, demon. For that I thank you…"

Sebastian's eyes went more scarlet than was normal for him, and he ignored the look of confusion on Grell's face as he continued to hold him hostage above the ground with his unmovable arm and deadly grip around his throat.

"I expect you to keep your side of the bargain, Guardian," he hissed through clenched teeth, his voice still level, but his tone cutting.

Rhea nodded.

"Hand the Reaper over and your Master's soul will be collected."

She stretched forth a hand and made her way to their sides. Her hand then reached straight through the Reaper and Sebastian found that he could no longer touch the man. His fingers suddenly snapped through him and grasped only air.

The Guardian tugged Grell towards her, and Sebastian saw a sight on the man's face that he'd only seen once before.

Fear.

"Wha-? What's going on? Sebastian?"

Grell sounded panicked and then Sebastian felt a similar strange feeling towards the Reaper that he'd felt earlier when he had left the mansion about his Master. Was he really able to do what was necessary to get his Master's soul back? Was this worth it?

He shook his head, shocked at his thoughts. Of course it was! This was his Master's _soul_.

He needed it more than anything, and he would have it and claim it as his own, the way that it had been meant to be since the beginning, thank you.

Grell's voice became even more panicked.

"Sebastian…it hurts! I-I don't know what's going on and…it-it hurts! Make her stop! Please, make her sto-!"

His voice was cut off as the demon watched as Rhea's hand seemed to writhe inside of the Reaper's body, as though she were searching for something buried deep inside of him, and then suddenly Grell's back arched and his head snapped back and an unearthly scream escaped his lips, seemingly rending though the veils between the worlds of the living and the dead.

Even Sebastian winced at the sound, but then he watched in demonic fascination as she wrenched her hand from his body and he fell to the ground.

Something was in her hand…

It looked like silver and red threads, but they were dripping with something, something that looked like blood but dissipated before it hit the ground.

The Guardian's smile was disturbingly normal, and not in any way demonic or even slightly evil. If Sebastian didn't know any better, he would have assumed that it was a smile of joy, of seeing someone that she hadn't seen in a long time, but it obviously wasn't and that disturbed more than a macabre grin would have.

"I have you now, Reaper…I have your puppet strings, and you will do as I say, or have them wrenched from your body, do you understand me?"

Grell was in a crumpled mess on the ground, a low whimpering escaping his lips, his entire body shaking, but as Rhea tugged on the strings his whole body jerked as though pulled by…by strings. Sebastian then saw him give her a faint nod.

"Y-Yes, m-milady."

Never had Sebastian seen the Reaper so broken, so empty. Where was the fight in him that he knew? What was she holding that held him captive and how had she done what she had just done to him?

Her smile turned serene.

"Good, Grell…good."

Her eyes turned back to Sebastian and she gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'll be back in one week," she said, her eyes matching the greenery around them. She tugged on the strings a second time and Grell twitched again, letting out a low groan. "If things go well, you will have your beloved Ciel's soul in exactly seven days."

Sebastian's eyes darkened.

"Seven days. No more."

She nodded and then turned, tugging on the strings, which were still dripping, and Grell stood and obediently followed her, and Sebastian could see that the strings went straight into his chest, though no wound could be seen.

She started to fade, but then stopped and turned slightly and said, "If you were smart, demon, you would have waited to give him to me…If I become mortal before I retrieve your Master's soul, then he _will_ be lost forever. Why give him to me so soon?"

Sebastian tugged his glove back on and buttoned his shirt back up, and then picked up his discarded waistcoat, carefully buttoning it back up as well.

"Think of it as a sign of good faith. Besides, I want this done as soon as possible," he added, his voice even and level.

She raised an eyebrow.

"It's not as though either of you are going anywhere anytime soon, _demon_…in fact, if I'm remembering correctly, you have all eternity. So, again I ask…why now?"

He raised an eyebrow in return.

"I made a contract for my Master's soul…and intend to _have_ it. I'm patient to a fault, you might say, but not when it comes to things that are _mine_."

Rhea smiled and nodded. "Fair enough, demon…fair enough…"

And with that, she faded away, along with Grell, and in the back of his mind he wondered if he had done the right thing for both Grell and his Master. Deciding to err on the side of caution, he came to a decision.

It seemed a trip to the Reaper Library was in order…

* * *

**Part 3/?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Sebastian stepped over the threshold into the dining area and placed his empty plates in front of his young lord and watched in silence as his master lifted an empty fork to his mouth and chewed and said, "Thank you, Sebastian."

He was surprised to hear that, as ever since Ciel had become a demon, he had never acknowledged Sebastian as anything more than an object that served him.

He covered his surprise by smoothly saying, "You're welcome, my lord."

Throughout the rest of the evening he waited on him, and as soon as he had fallen asleep he stepped out of the mansion, again warning the servants to keep an eye on the Master while he was out. He had a visit to pay to William Spears, head of the Reapers.

He had a feeling that the man wasn't entirely aware of what was going on…and, besides that, he wanted to know what had happened to Grell.

It took him longer than he'd wanted, as he had to make several negotiations with some unsavory characters, but soon he was walking through the front door of the library that he'd been in just once before.

A man with glasses and a book in his hand greeted him, so Sebastian assumed he was a Reaper.

"And might I ask what you are looking for, Demon Michaelis?"

Sebastian looked at the man in surprise, and he let out a low chuckle of amusement.

"Oh, yes, demon…we know _all_ about you, here," he said, his eyes glittering darkly, and his British accented voice echoing in strange ways off of the walls and bookcases throughout the massive space, making his voice sound as though it were coming from several different places at once.

Sebastian shrugged the feeling aside and said, "I'm here to see William Spears."

The bespectacled man nodded.

"Right this way then."

He motioned with a hand for Sebastian to follow him, so he did, the entire time carefully on his guard. This wasn't a place that he had all of his powers in and that made him uneasy. He did not like feeling at a disadvantage in any situation.

Soon, however, they walked through a set of massive doors, which the man opened easily with an almost casual shove of his hand on the carved wood.

They walked into a large private study and a petite blonde woman sat in the corner of the room, her legs slung over the arm of the chair, randomly flipping through a massive volume. She wore unconventional clothes. Black, tight-fitting trousers adorned her legs and a slightly low-cut white blouse that was also fitted rather snugly around her body.

At closer inspection he saw that the trousers were leather, as was the jacket that was slung over the other arm of the chair that she lay against.

His eyes then went to the center of the room, where there was a massive desk, behind which sat William Spears.

"Ah…Sebastian. So good to see you again," he drawled, slowly standing from his chair and making a slight, but obvious, dismissive gesture to the other two in the room.

The blonde nodded, and quickly sat up, placing the book on the table next to her chair and then briefly stretching, her shirt riding up and exposing skin. The man gave her a chastening look, but she just flashed him an unrepentant smile, to which he rolled his eyes. She grabbed her coat and slipped it over shoulders and followed him to the door.

The two of them were about to leave, but then William stopped them.

"Oh, Rupert…" He picked up a book from his desk and walked over to where they stood by the door. "…Before I forget, I found the volume you were looking for. I hope that it helps."

The man that Sebastian now knew to be named Rupert smiled.

"Thank you, William. It is much appreciated, I assure you."

And with that, the two of them left and Spears turned around to face the demon butler once more, his gaze more serious and less at ease than he had been when Rupert and the young woman had been in the room.

"So, Sebastian…how may I help you?"

He cut right to the point.

"Grell has been taken by a Guardian who is determined to use him and his powers to free her from her confinement. Can it be done?"

At that, William froze, his hand hanging in the air where it had been in the process of reaching down to pick up the book from the end table that had been placed there moments before. His eyes went dark and the temperature in the room dropped several degrees.

"Did you say…a Guardian?"

Sebastian nodded.

"Yes. I did."

Spears eyes darkened, and Sebastian watched in fascination as the Reaper walked over back behind his desk and leaned on it, his fingers easily dug into the thick wood of his desk as if it were butter, leaving jagged splinters of oak sticking up from its' surface, as well as in the Reaper's fingers.

William stood up and carefully removed the splinters of wood from his hands and then looked over at Sebastian as he took a kerchief from his pocket and absently wiped the blood off.

"Tell me everything."

Realizing that things were very grave indeed, Sebastian gave Spears all of the information he needed, which included everything that had happened in the past two days. He wanted to make sure he knew _exactly_ what was going to happen.

After he finished explaining it, he saw William's eyes darken a second time.

He let out a sigh.

"Oh, Grell…I can only pray that your ineptness will keep you from accomplishing your task too quickly," he said, leaving Sebastian quietly confused, but the Reaper seemed to sense his confusion and quickly explained the problem.

"You see, Sebastian, a Reaper can lightly influence the between world of Lost Souls because of their viewing capabilities. With those viewing capabilities, we are granted another talent…one that is rarely used, mind you."

"And that would be…?"

Spears cleared his throat and, with the middle finger of his right hand, adjusted his glasses.

"We can return a soul to their body _back_ from their resting place. We don't use this gift because of the danger involved…to the Reaper." Sebastian raised an eyebrow at that, and Spears clarified. "We have to use certain…aspects of our gift that are very unstable that are directly linked to our _own_ souls. And if a Guardian is involved…"

He shook his head.

"…Well, they can use our own souls against us to control us. As leverage. You see," he explained, "A Reaper must have some semblance of a soul in order to cast judgment. If a Guardian gets their hands in it and mangles it badly enough, or if the Reaper resists too violently, it can permanently damage a Reaper's ability to judge, rendering them useless. And unable to go to their proper resting place at the end of their assignments."

At this, Sebastian finally understood what he had seen in the clearing earlier that day and he nodded.

"Ah, I see. A Reaper's soul is bound for one place, then, if left intact, but if it is harmed in any way, then…to Hell?"

Spears averted his eyes.

"A Reaper's soul in Hell…there is no worse fate imagined for our kind. A Reaper will be tormented for all eternity for the souls that they have put down there who feel that they were put there unjustly. Imagine going to a prison where your profession was the reason why nearly every single person was in there…"

He raised his eyes back up to Sebastian and the demon tilted his head in acknowledgment.

"Understood. In that case…what are we to do for Grell?"

Spears looked surprised at the butler's question.

"Why, nothing of course. You did as you needed to, and from what I've heard of this Guardian and your bargain with her, she has an obligation to fulfill, or else her own soul is forfeit. Had you _not_ been involved, I would have been worried, but I think that your…_arrangement_ with her should keep everything in line. I must admit though," he added, looking down at the nails of one hand, absently rubbing his thumb across them. "I am slightly worried that Grell might put up a fight."

He absently reached down and tugged on the edges of his dark grey vest and then adjusted his glasses once more, glancing down at his pocket watch, letting out a soft sigh of resignation.

"Oh well. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment to keep."

He stepped out from behind his desk, and Sebastian turned slightly as the Head Reaper made for the door.

"William…" Spears paused. "Who were those two who were in here before I was? Was the man a Reaper as well? Who was the girl?"

At that, the Reaper chuckled, a low and ominous sound that resonated strangely off of the walls in the room, and his eyes turned pale gold behind his glasses, and then he gave Sebastian a grin that was almost identical to Grell's and was very unsettling.

"Oh, Rupert is no Reaper…he's a Watcher, and someone that I greatly respect. As for the girl…well, let's just say that many of the prisons in Hell are full because of her. But I doubt you'll ever see them again…"

And with that, he turned and left the room, but then tossed over his shoulder, "You can see yourself out, demon. And by the way…I'll be with you when you go to fetch my Reaper in seven days. I want to make sure that he remains intact."

Sebastian was now alone, but now was much less worried and instead much more at ease.

He knew Grell well, and knew that he would do anything to save his own skin…or soul, as the case may be.

Taking this in mind, he walked out of the library, his journey back to the mortal realm much faster than it had been going the opposite direction. A wry smile crossed his lips as he walked up the back steps to the mansion, his thoughts still lingering on everything that the Reaper had told him.

In seven days he would have his Master's soul back.

In seven days.

* * *

**Part 4/?**


End file.
